Just a few years ago, tablets were unheard of but now it’s as common as a mobile phone. And with new release every now and then, it is difficult to choose which one to go for.

The one that is still on the peak is Apple iPad Air. At just 1-pound, the 9.7-inch Air is the lightest tablet in its size class, and it’s compact enough to comfortably hold with one hand. With 12 hours of battery life, it is the best tablet available. It starts at $499.

If this price does not fit your pocket right, then at $399 is Apple iPad Mini. It comes with a sharp 2048 x 1536-pixel screen in a 7.9-inch design, plus a powerful 64-bit A7 processor. With 11 hours of battery life–nearly 2.5 hours more than its closest competitors–this is the ultimate small tablet.

If you aren’t much of an Apple fan and prefer Android then Google Nexus 7 is the best option. It has pure Android 4.3 Jelly Bean goodness along with blazing-fast quad-core performance, long battery life and one of the best screens on the market.

The 1920 x 1200, 7-inch display is amazingly sharp at 323 PPI. It weighs just 10.2 ounces and lasts over 8 hours on a charge. It is priced at $229.

In case you are a voracious reader and reading eBooks on the tablet tops your list of priorities then Amazon is unbeatable in this arena.

The 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX gives Amazon Prime members a host of compelling books, movies and TV shows for free. And it is priced at $229.